Dynasty Cheat Sheet – First Edition

Finding the right information to help you build the perfect fantasy football dynasty can be very similar to drinking from a fire hose. Yes, the off-season is a lot of fun. Everyone has their go-to few sites that pump out quality dynasty content all throughout the off-season. But then it happens. The redraft noise starts to hit in June. In July everything starts to be about single-year #basic leagues. By August it seems that all of the top sites are calling their “sleepers” who are really just guys you have known about since January.

Sound familiar?

Yeah.

As dynasty owners, the number of questions we’re faced with on a weekly basis is insane. Every snap, injury, reception, touch, and transaction can have implications extending for years to come. Finding as much helpful information in one place at the right time can be a real life saver.

And that’s what I always wanted. I just wanted simple advice that I could apply every week based on the mayhem that just wrapped up from the previous NFL week. That’s where this article comes in. This “Dynasty Cheat Sheet” is designed to cover as many players as possible with some practical “do this now” advice to help you build a sustainable dynasty.

So without further ado, let’s dive into the very first Dynasty Cheat Sheet.

Player Values

David Johnson – As much as it hurts that he’ll be out for a while DO NOT panic. He is still the king of fantasy at running back whenever he returns.

Ty Montgomery – Speaking of David Johnson…Ty Montgomery profiles similarly as an athlete. He dominated the snaps at running back for the Packers. This is your last chance to buy before he becomes the next big thing.

Danny Woodhead – He was an injury-riddled 32-year-old before this season began. He’s all but done. Cut your losses or buy him for nothing in two weeks after Buck Allen goes off in his place.

Buck Allen – Speak of the devil! Allen was always better than the ultimate JAG (Just Another Guy), Terrance West. Buck can catch passes with the best of them and is now in the Danny Woodhead role for Baltimore. Joe “THE GOAT” Flacco loves to dump passes for running backs. First priority waiver claim right here.

Kareem Hunt – This is the ultimate sell opportunity if you can get a legitimate WR2 or better running back. He won’t score 70-yard receiving TDs against back up DE/OLBs and face light boxes moving forward. This average athlete that can catch passes and take advantage of easy opportunities is not the next David Johnson. #SorryNotSorry

Chris Carson – His snaps are there. The touches might come next. This is one undrafted free agent worth believing in. Seattle’s offense won’t always be a dumpster fire. Carson is another “this could be your last chance to buy” type guy.

Tarik Cohen – The Human Joystick does not offer feature back upside. Don’t expect that. However, if you can buy him for Theo Riddick-lite prices then you do that every time. Tarik is your second priority waiver claim behind Buck Allen at running back.

Mike Gillislee – Gillislee needs to thank Brandin Cooks for his fantastic Patriots debut. Cooks forced a couple pivotal defensive pass interference and extended drives that led to Gillislee touchdowns. The opportunity is there for touchdowns in the short-term, but he’s a Patriots running back. This is an easy sell-high point.

Marlon Mack – Can you believe people thought Robert Turbin was going to keep the number two job? Mack is electric. He may not truly explode until Andrew Luck is back, but he’ll wow. This is an easy situation where you could sell for a decent amount already, but also still not a crazy expensive asset to acquire.

Allen Robinson – Most dynasty owners think the time to buy is now. Be patient. Buy in a few weeks when the AR owner sees how truly awful his team is without a legitimate wide receiver one option. Sell him a vet and change for AR. Sammy and Keenan were both had for cheap last year if you waited.

Allen Hurns – Hopefully you already owned Hurns and didn’t give up. Hurns is still clearly the WR2 with the other Allen around now that he’s healthy. Hurns could leap back up to top 100 start-up value status in a couple weeks. Hold or buy hard right now. Hurns will be worth much more in just a few weeks.

Randall Cobb – Cobb just saw 13 targets against the Seahawks formidable secondary. That sounds great, but it was mainly against the weakest matchup on the field. Expect less, but hold for steady flex value. You could sell to the right Packers fan for a ton now.

Antonio Brown – For some reason, people forgot that Antonio Brown was the best wide receiver in the league. I saw him drop to the middle of round one in start-ups this summer. AB caught all 11 of his targets for 182 yards in week one. He’s still the best. However, if you want to sell high, this year could be the best one to do it if you can still get the farm in return.

Kenny Golladay – The preseason hype machine just won’t slow down. After catching two touchdowns in his first career games Golladay has reached an interesting point in value. You CANNOT sell him because he just may be the next big thing. But you CANNOT buy him because the asking price is too exorbitant.

Nelson Agholor – He always had major YAC ability even dating back to his time at USC. If he can get past his psychological issues Agholor has a real shot at a bounce back. He’s a decent consolation prize on waivers this week. Also, his owners are probably open to shopping him now that he has some semblance of value. Grab him for his still quite depressed priced for a former first round pick.

Kevin White – It seems that Kevin White’s career just wasn’t meant to be. Cut your losses and move on. Don’t let him be a roster clogging player for another whole season.

Corey Davis – This man is still and always should have been the first overall pick in rookie drafts this year for dynasty. His opportunities may be limited in year one, but Corey is real. His first career catch was an unbelievable high-pointing catch on the sidelines. He probably has about 1000 of those to go in his career.

Charles Clay – This was the easiest buy-low target the entire off-season. Once Sammy Watkins was moved it was even more obvious. Besides LeSean McCoy, Charles Clay is the only returning target for Tyrod Taylor. Expect the best season Clay has ever had. Wait for a decent buy-low window if the owner is already overcharging.

Austin Hooper – Yes, Hooper earned most of his fantasy value this week on one mainly play where he threw a defender to the ground. He was a potential breakout candidate before his massive week one. Don’t overpay. Wait it out and let another buy window open. If you have Hooper, enjoy his development. He is not a great sell candidate unless your four deep at tight end.

Delanie Walker – I don’t know what we thought was going to happen this year. Delanie’s price dropped because he’s “too old” or the Titans have better wide receivers or something. He still had 9 targets and 76 receiving yards. That role is safe. Buy both Delanie and Jonnu. Delanie is cheap because of his age… Jonnu is cheap because he won’t see a ton of action until Delanie is gone.

Zach Ertz – He’s finally in a situation where he may succeed for an entire season. He’s a solid hold. His price already exceeded what most were probably comfortable investing. It just got worse. Don’t go reaching.

Jesse James – “Hi, I’m 6’7” and score touchdowns every five weeks or so.” Don’t waste your time. Jesse James is still fools gold.

Evan Engram – This guy IS THE BEST TIGHT END in the BEST TIGHT END CLASS EVER. Go acquire him while you still can.

Simple Strategies

You would be surprised at the number of owners already freaking out, looking to punt for next year, after just one bad week. Grab cheap vets off of them to bolster your depth or even acquire their studs that they’re looking to shed to stay relevant.

Buy picks. Buy picks. And after you do that, buy picks. 2018 and 2019 draft picks will never be cheaper than right now. As soon as the season begins the majority of dynasty owners shift into redraft and win-now mode. They are more willing to depart with their 2nd and 3rd round rookie picks for “maybe” and “what if” players.

Always make sure you’re churning the bottom of your roster right now. Winning the waivers in weeks one through four can bolster your flex position for years to come.

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And that’s all folks. Week one of the Dynasty Cheat Sheet is in the books. I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to ask questions or suggest players and topics on Twitter @FF_TravisM. This cheat sheet is for you. Let’s build your dynasty all season long!

He's married to his beautiful wife, Kelsey. Purdue University Class of 2011. Boiler Up! Lives in Nashville, TN. Titans fan (sympathetic gifts accepted). Works on music row by day. Writes about fantasy football by night. He plays club ultimate frisbee because it's awesome. He longboards to work because he can. Find him on Twitter @FF_TravisM.